Handle for hammers



April 12, 1949. D. F. WILLIAMS HANDLE FOR HAMMERS Filed June 25, 1946 Inventor Dem/121i. M'llzizm.

v Attorneys Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDLE FOR HAMMERS Dennis F. Williams, Kansas City, Mo.

Application June 25, 1946, Serial No. 679,248

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in handles for carpenters hammers, the primary object in view being to provide a well balanced hammer handle which may be made of inexpensive material reinforced so as to render the same proof against breaking, and which is shaped to provide, in using the hammer, for variably grasping and manipulating the handle at different points with a loose grip, without danger of the handle slipping out of the hands, thereby obviating fatigue and nerve tension frequently arising in using ordinary hammers because of the necessity for gripping the handles tightly.

.Another object is to provide in a hammer handle improved means for securing the hammer head on the handle.

Other objects, and the precise nature of my improvements, together with the advantages thereof, will become readily apparent when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and form a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating my improved hammer handle in a preferred embodiment thereof, part of the hammer head being shown in section,

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan,

Figure 3 is a view in front end elevation,

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section of the hammer handle,

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section of one of the plugs.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 6 thereof, my improved hammer handle has been shown therein, for illustrative purposes, as equipped with the usual claw hammer type head I having the usual eye 2 therein.

According to my invention, a hammer handle 3, of any suitable length, and preferably formed of moldable material such as plastic, or plastic wood, is provided with a front end section 4 of the usual shape, the remainder of said handle in the rear of said section 4 having undulating edges and sides forming a rear end rounded knob 5 on said handle, substantially kidney shaped, and an intermediate bulging portion 6, with a concave portion 1 connecting said knob and bulging portion. The knob 5 and bulging portion 6 both bulge edgewise, that is along the edges of the handle, to a greater extent than along the sides of the handle, and together with the major 2 portion of the section 4 are oval in cross section as shown in Figure 5. The usual substantially rectangular front end 8 is provided on the section 4 for insertion in the eye 2 and is split in the median plane-of the handle 3, as at 9, for spreading in the eye 2.

A reinforcing member Ill in the form of a metal rod, bent upon itself intermediate its ends, is suitably embedded in the handle 3, for instance,

by molding, coplanar therewith to provide spaced apart side sections H connected by a rear end loop l2. same shape as the edge outline of the handle 3 and the sections II are spaced equidistantly from said edge with the loop being similarly positions relative to the end of the knob 5. The ends 13 of said member ID are flush with the front face of the handle 3 and are threaded and extended through a pair of tapered sockets l4 formed in the front end 8 of said handle in the median plane thereof.

A pair of tapered, internally threaded, sleevelike plugs l5 with screw driver kerfs l5 therein, are turned onto the ends l3 of said member Ill so as to be drawn into the sockets I4 and spread said end 8 in eye 2 to fasten the head I on the handle. As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 3, the plugs l5 extend into the split 9 of the front end 8 of said handle 3. The described plugs [5 are utilized when the handle 3 is formed of plastic or wood.

Laterally extending apertures 20, 2| are provided in the knob 5 and bulging portion 6, centrally thereof, for use in suspending the hammer handle 3, or ll, as the case may be, on a hanger.

Referring now to the use of the described invention, by grasping the knob 5, with a loose grip, and with the thumb and forefinger of the hand grasping said knob disposed in opposite sides of the concave portion 1, the handle 3 may be held in forwardly extending position and a very accurate sharp blow may be struck with the head I', while at the same time, a roll, or twist, may be imparted to the handle 3 by rolling the concave portion 1 between the thumb and forefinger. By so rolling the handle 3, while at the same time twisting the wrist and forearm, while the knob 5 is allowed to roll in the palm of the hand, an angularly directed blow of great force may be struck with the head I. The concave portion 1 also affords, at all times, with the handle 3 held as described, easy finger control of the handle while, together with the knob 5, preventing the handle 3 from flying out of the hand while being grasped with a looser grip than would be required in con- The reinforcing member ID has the.

nection with the ordinary hammer handle. The bulging portion 6 provides a palm fitting hand grip obviating slipping of the handle 3 while the same is held loosely by said portion, and for hitting with a quick short stroke, for instance in driving small nails. By virtue of the concave portion 1, the requisite spring is imparted to the handle 3, particularly when made of wood or plastic. Hence, the section 4 rearwardly of the front end 8 may be made heavier and stronger than in the usual hammer handle. Since, in conventional hammer handles, breakage usually occurs between the head end and center of the handle, the advantage of strengthening the section 4 will be clear.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, Without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A handle having a front end section for fastening in the eye of a hammer head, and a reinforcing rod member in said handle bent upon itself and arranged therein to extend longitudinally of the same coplanar therewith and with the ends of the member spaced apart laterally in said front end section, and a pair of tapered spreader plugs threaded onto said ends of the member and embedded in said :front end section for spreading said section in said eye.

2. A handle having a front end section for fas- 4 tening in the eye of a hammer head, and a reinforcing rod member in said handle bent upon itself and arranged therein to extend longitudinally of the same coplanar therewith and with the ends of the member spaced apart laterally in said front end section, and a pair of tapered spreader plugs threaded onto said ends of the member and embedded in said front end section for spreading said section in said eye, said front end section being split to facilitate spreading of the same.

DENNIS F. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 224,251 Tyler Feb. 3, 1880 277,132 Hastings May 8, 1883 1,060,167 Crocker Apr. 29, 1913 1,326,887 Wood Dec. 30, 1919 1,330,213 Munzer Feb. 10, 1920 1,449,677 Jones Mar. 27, 1923 1,505,379 Derr Aug. 19, 1924 1,515,708 Stolle Nov. 18, 1924 1,518,259 F'iliatreault Dec. 9, 1924 1,770,390 Cauldwell July 15, 1930 2,121,440 Morrison June 21, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 51,836 Norway Nov. 28, 1932 

